The Book of Rites 禮記
《禮器》 Rites in the Formation of Character
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《禮器》 Rites in the Formation of Character禮器是故大備。大備，盛德也。禮釋回，增美質；措則正，施則行。其在人也，如竹箭之有筠也；如松柏之有心也。二者居天下之大端矣。故貫四時而不改柯易葉。故君子有禮，則外諧而內無怨，故物無不懷仁，鬼神饗德。
The rules of propriety serve as instruments to form men's characters, and they are therefore prepared on a great scale. Being so, the value of them is very high. They remove from a man all perversity, and increase what is beautiful in his nature. They make him correct, when employed in the ordering of himself; they ensure for him free course, when employed towards others. They are to him what their outer coating is to bamboos, and what its heart is to a pine or cypress. These two are the best of all the productions of the (vegetable) world. They endure through all the four seasons, without altering a branch or changing a leaf. The superior man observes these rules of propriety, so that all in a wider circle are harmonious with him, and those in his narrower circle have no dissatisfactions with him. Men acknowledge and are affected by his goodness, and spirits enjoy his virtue.
先王之立禮也，有本有文。忠信，禮之本也；義理，禮之文也。無本不正，無文不行。
The rules as instituted by the ancient kings had their radical element and their outward and elegant form. A true heart and good faith are their radical element. The characteristics of each according to the idea of what is right in it are its outward and elegant form: Without the radical element, they could not have been established; without the elegant form, they could not have been put in practice.
禮也者，合於天時，設於地財，順於鬼神，合於人心，理萬物者也。是故天時有生也，地理有宜也，人官有能也，物曲有利也。故天不生，地不養，君子不以為禮，鬼神弗饗也。居山以魚鱉為禮，居澤以鹿豕為禮，君子謂之不知禮。故必舉其定國之數，以為禮之大經，禮之大倫。以地廣狹，禮之薄厚，與年之上下。是故年雖大殺，眾不匡懼。則上之制禮也節矣。
(The things used in performing) the rites should be suitable to the season, taken from the resources supplied by the ground, in accordance with (the requirements of) the spirits, and agreeable to the minds of men;-according to the characteristics of all things. Thus each season has its productions, each soil its appropriate produce, each sense its peculiar power, and each thing its advantageousness. Therefore what any season does not produce, what any soil does not nourish, will not be used by a superior man in performing his rites, nor be enjoyed by the spirits. If mountaineers were to (seek to) use fish and turtles in their rites, or the dwellers near lakes, deer and pigs, the superior man would say of them that they did not know (the nature of) those usages. Therefore it is necessary to take the established revenues of a state as the great rule for its ceremonial (expenditure). Important for the determination of this is the size of its territory. The amount of the offerings (also) should have regard to the character of the year as good or bad. In this way, though the harvest of a year may be very defective, the masses will not be afraid, and the ceremonies as appointed by the superiors will be economically regulated.
禮，時為大，順次之，體次之，宜次之，稱次之。堯授舜，舜授禹；湯放桀，武王伐紂，時也。《詩》云：「匪革其猶，聿追來孝。」天地之祭，宗廟之事，父子之道，君臣之義，倫也。社稷山川之事，鬼神之祭，體也。喪祭之用，賓客之交，義也。羔豚而祭，百官皆足；大牢而祭，不必有餘，此之謂稱也。諸侯以龜為寶，以圭為瑞。家不寶龜，不藏圭，不臺門，言有稱也。
In (judging of) rites the time should be the great consideration. (Their relation to) natural duties, their material substance, their appropriateness to circumstances, and their proportioning are all secondary. Yao's resignation of the throne to Shun, and Shun's resignation of it to Yu; Tang's dethronement of Jie; and the overthrow of Zhou by Wen and Wu - all these are to be judged of by the time. As the Book of Poetry says, "It was not that he was in haste to gratify his wishes; It was to show the filial duty that had come down to him.'" The sacrifices to heaven and earth; the services of the ancestral temple; the courses for father and son; and the righteousness between ruler and minister - these are to be judged of as natural duties. The services at the altars of the land and grain and of the hills and streams; and the sacrifices to spirits - these are to be judged of by the material substance of the offerings. The use of the funeral rites and sacrifices; and the reciprocities of host and guest - these are to be judged of by their appropriateness to circumstances. Sacrificing with a lamb and a sucking pig, by the multitude of officers, when yet there was enough; and sacrificing with an ox, a ram, and a boar, when yet there was nothing to spare - in these we have an instance of the proportioning. The princes set great store by the tortoise, and consider their jade-tokens as the insignia of their rank, while the (chiefs of) clans have not the tortoises that are so precious, nor the jade-tokens to keep (by themselves), nor the towered gateways - these (also) are instances of the proportioning.
禮，有以多為貴者：天子七廟，諸侯五，大夫三，士一。天子之豆二十有六，諸公十有六，諸侯十有二，上大夫八，下大夫六。諸侯七介七牢，大夫五介五牢。天子之席五重，諸侯之席三重，大夫再重。天子崩，七月而葬，五重八翣；諸侯五月而葬，三重六翣；大夫三月而葬，再重四翣。此以多為貴也。
In some ceremonial usages the multitude of things formed the mark of distinction, The son of Heaven had 7 shrines in his ancestral temple; the prince of a state, 5; Great officers, 3; and other officers, 1. The dishes of the son of Heaven on stands were 26; of a duke, 16; of another prince, 12; of a Great officer of the upper class, 8; of one of the lower class, 6, To a prince there were given 7 attendants and 7 oxen; and to a Great officer, 5 of each, The son of Heaven sat on 5 mats placed over one another; a prince, on 3; and a Great officer, on 2. When the son of Heaven died, he was buried after 7 months, in a fivefold coffin, with 8 plumes; a prince was buried after 5 months, in a threefold coffin, with 6 plumes; a Great officer after 3 months, in a twofold coffin, with 4 Plumes. In these cases, the multitude of things was the mark of distinction.
有以少為貴者：天子無介；祭天特牲；天子適諸侯，諸侯膳以犢；諸侯相朝，灌用郁鬯，無籩豆之薦；大夫聘禮以脯醢；天子一食，諸侯再，大夫、士三，食力無數；大路繁纓一就，次路繁纓七就；圭璋特，琥璜爵；鬼神之祭單席。諸侯視朝，大夫特，士旅之。此以少為貴也。
In other usages, the paucity of things formed the mark of distinction. To the son of Heaven there were given no attendants, and he sacrificed to Heaven with a single victim; when he visited the princes (on his tours of inspection), he was feasted with a single bullock. When princes went to the courts of one another, fragrant spirits were used in libations, and there were no dishes on stands, either of wood or bamboo. At friendly missions by Great officers, the ceremonial offerings were slices of dried meat and pickles. The son of Heaven declared himself satisfied after 1 dish; a prince, after 2; a Great officer and other officers, after 3; while no limit was set to the eating of people who lived by their labour. (The horses of) the Great carriage had 1 ornamental tassel at their breast-bands; those of the other carriages had 7 (pieces of) jade for rank-tokens; and libation cups were presented singly; as also the tiger-shaped and yellow cups. In sacrificing to spirits a single mat was used; when princes were giving audience to their ministers, they (bowed to) the Great officers one by one, but to all the other officers together. In these cases the fewness of the things formed the mark of distinction.
有以大為貴者：宮室之量，器皿之度，棺槨之厚，丘封之大。此以大為貴也。
In others, greatness of size formed the mark. The dimensions of palaces and apartments; the measurements of dishes and (other) articles; the thickness of the inner and outer coffins; the greatness of eminences and mounds - these were cases in which the greatness of size was the mark.
有以小為貴者：宗廟之祭，貴者獻以爵，賤者獻以散，尊者舉觶，卑者舉角；五獻之尊，門外缶，門內壺，君尊瓦甒。此以小為貴也。
In others, smallness of size formed the mark. At the sacrifices of the ancestral temple, the highest in rank presented a cup (of spirits to the representative of the dead), and the low, a san (containing five times as much): (at some other sacrifices), the honourable took a zhi (containing 3 cups), and the low a horn (containing 4). (At the feasts of viscounts and barons), when the vase went round 5 times, outside the door was the earthenware fou (of supply), and inside, the hu; while the ruler's vase was an earthenware wu - these were cases in which the smallness of size was the mark of distinction.
有以高為貴者：天子之堂九尺，諸侯七尺，大夫五尺，士三尺；天子、諸侯臺門。此以高為貴也。
In others, the height formed the mark of distinction. The hall of the son of Heaven was ascended by 9 steps; that of a prince, by 7; that of a Great officer, by 5; and that of an ordinary officer, by 3. The son of Heaven and the princes had (also) the towered gateway. In these cases height was the mark.
有以下為貴者：至敬不壇，掃地而祭。天子諸侯之尊廢禁，大夫、士棜禁。此以下為貴也。
In others, the lowness formed the mark. In sacrificing, the highest reverence was not shown on the raised altar, but on the ground beneath, which, had been swept. The vases of the son of Heaven and the princes were set on a tray without feet; those of Great and other officers on one with feet (3 inches high). In these cases the lowness was the mark of distinction.
禮有以文為貴者：天子龍袞，諸侯黼，大夫黻，士玄衣纁裳；天子之冕，朱綠藻十有二旒，諸侯九，上大夫七，下大夫五，士三。此以文為貴也。
In others, ornament formed the mark. The son of Heaven wore his upper robe with the dragons figured on it; princes, the lower robe with the axes' embroidered on it; Great officers, their lower robe with the symbol of distinction; and other officers, the dark-coloured upper robe, and the lower one red. The cap of the son of Heaven had 12 pendents of jade beads set on strings hanging-down of red and green silk; that of princes, 9; that of Great officers of the highest grade, 7; and if they were of the lowest grade, 5; and that of other officers, 3 - in these cases the ornament was the mark of distinction.
有以素為貴者：至敬無文，父黨無容，大圭不琢，大羹不和，大路素而越席，犧尊疏布冪，樿杓。此以素為貴也。
In others, plainness formed the mark. Acts of the greatest reverence admit of no ornament. The relatives of a father do not put themselves into postures (like other visitors). The Grand jade-token has no engraving on it. The Grand soup has no condiments. The Grand carriage is plain, and the mats in it are of rushes. The goblet with the victim-ox carved on it is covered with a plain white cloth. The ladle is made of white-veined wood. These are cases in which plainness is the mark.
孔子曰：「禮，不可不省也。」禮不同，不豐、不殺，此之謂也。蓋言稱也。
Confucius said, 'Ceremonial usages should be most carefully considered.' This is the meaning of the remark that 'while usages are different, the relations between them as many or few should be maintained.' His words had reference to the proportioning of rites.
禮之以多為貴者，以其外心者也；德發揚，詡萬物，大理物博，如此，則得不以多為貴乎？故君子樂其發也。
That in the (instituting of) rites the multitude of things was considered a mark of distinction, arose from the minds (of the framers) being directed outwards. The energy (of nature) shoots forth and is displayed everywhere in all things, with a great discriminating control over their vast multitude. In such a case, how could they keep from making multitude a mark of distinction in rites? Hence the superior men, (the framers), rejoiced in displaying (their discrimination).
禮之以少為貴者，以其內心者也。德產之致也精微，觀天子之物無可以稱其德者，如此則得不以少為貴乎？是故君子慎其獨也。
But that in (the instituting of) rites the paucity of things was (also) considered a mark of distinction, arose from the minds (of the framers) being directed inwards. Extreme as is the energy (of nature) in production, it is exquisite and minute. When we look at all the things under the sky, they do not seem to be in proportion to that energy, In such a case, how could they keep from considering paucity a mark of distinction? Hence the superior men, (the framers), watched carefully over the solitude (of their own thoughts).
古之聖人，內之為尊，外之為樂，少之為貴，多之為美。是故先生之制禮也，不可多也，不可寡也，唯其稱也。是故，君子大牢而祭，謂之禮；匹士大牢而祭，謂之攘。管仲鏤簋朱紘，山節藻梲，君子以為濫矣。晏平仲祀其先人，豚肩不揜豆；浣衣濯冠以朝，君子以為隘矣。是故君子之行禮也，不可不慎也；眾之紀也，紀散而眾亂。孔子曰：「我戰則克，祭則受福。」蓋得其道矣。
The ancient sages (thus) gave honour to what was internal, and sought pleasure in what was external; found a mark of distinction in paucity, and one of what was admirable in multitude; and therefore in the ceremonial usages instituted by the ancient kings we should look neither for multitude nor for paucity, but for the due relative proportion. Therefore, when a man of rank uses a large victim in sacrifice, we say he acts according to propriety, but when an ordinary officer does so, we say be commits an act of usurpation. Guan Zhong had his sacrificial dishes of grain carved, and red bands to his cap; fashioned hills on the capitals of his pillars, and pondweed on the small pillars above the beams - the superior man considered it wild extravagance. Yan Ping-zhong, in sacrificing to his father, used a sucking-pig which did not fill the dish, and went to court in an (old) washed robe and cap - the superior man considered it was niggardliness. Therefore the superior man thinks it necessary to use the utmost care in his practice of ceremonies. They are the bond that holds the multitudes together; and if the bond be removed, those multitude's fall into confusion. Confucius said, 'If I fight, I overcome; when I sacrifice, I receive blessing.' He said so, because he had the right way (of doing everything).
君子曰：祭祀不祈，不麾蚤，不樂葆大，不善嘉事，牲不及肥大，薦不美多品。孔子曰：「臧文仲安知禮！夏父弗綦逆祀，而弗止也。燔柴於奧，夫奧者，老婦之祭也，盛於盆，尊於瓶。」
A superior man will say, 'The object in sacrifices is not to pray; the time of them should not be hastened on; a great apparatus is not required at them; ornamental matters are not to be approved; the victims need not be fat and large; a profusion of the other offerings is not to be admired.' Confucius said, 'How can it be said that Zang Wen-zhong was acquainted with the rules of propriety? When Xia Fu-Qi went right in the teeth of sacrificial order, he did not stop him, (nor could he prevent) his burning a pile of firewood in sacrificing to the spirit of the furnace. Now that sacrifice is paid to an old wife. The materials for it might be contained in a tub, and the vase is the (common) wine-jar.'
禮也者，猶體也。體不備，君子謂之不成人。設之不當，猶不備也。禮有大有小，有顯有微。大者不可損，小者不可益，顯者不可掩，微者不可大也。故《經禮》三百，《曲禮》三千，其致一也。未有入室而不由戶者。
The rules of propriety may be compared to the human body. When the parts of one's body are not complete, the beholder' will call him 'An imperfect man;' and so a rule which has been made unsuitably may be denominated 'incomplete.' Some ceremonies are great, and some small; some are manifest, and some minute. The great should not be diminished, nor the small increased. The manifest should not be hidden, nor the minute made great. But while the important rules are 300, and the smaller rules 3000, the result to which they all lead is one and the same. No one can enter an apartment but by the door.
君子之於禮也，有所竭情盡慎，致其敬而誠若，有美而文而誠若。君子之於禮也，有直而行也，有曲而殺也，有經而等也，有順而討也，有摭而播也，有推而進也，有放而文也，有放而不致也，有順而摭也。
A superior man in his observance of the rules, where he does his utmost and uses the greatest care, is extreme in his reverence and the manifestation of sincerity. Where they excite admiration and an elegant attractiveness, there is (still) that manifestation of sincerity. A superior man, in his consideration of the rules, finds those which are carried directly into practice; those in which one has to bend and make some modification; those which are regular and the same for all classes; those which are diminished in a certain order; those in which (a kind of) transplantation takes place, and (the ceremony) is distributed; those in which individuals are pushed forward and take part in the rules of a higher grade; those in which there are ornamental imitations (of natural objects); those in which the ornamental imitations are not carried out so fully; and those where appropriation (of higher observances) is not deemed usurpation.
三代之禮一也，民共由之。或素或青，夏造殷因。
The usages of the three dynasties had one and the same object, and the people all observed them. In such matters as colour, whether it should be white or dark, Xia instituted and Yin adopted (its choice, or did not do so).
周坐尸，詔侑武方；其禮亦然，其道一也；夏立尸而卒祭；殷坐尸。周旅酬六尸，曾子曰：「周禮其猶醵與！」
Under the Zhou dynasty the representatives of the dead sat. Their monitors and cup-suppliers observed no regular rules, The usages were the same (as those of Yin), and the underlying principle was one. Under the Xia dynasty, the personators had stood till the sacrifice was ended, (whereas) under Yin they sat. Under Zhou, when the cup went round among all, there were six personators'. Zeng-zi said, 'The usages of Zhou might be compared to those of a subscription club.'
君子曰：禮之近人情者，非其至者也。郊血，大饗腥，三獻爓，一獻孰。
A superior man will say, 'The usages of ceremony that come closest to our human feelings are not those of the highest sacrifices; (as may be seen in) the blood of the border sacrifice; the raw flesh in the great offering (to all the royal ancestors) of the ancestral temple; the sodden flesh, where the spirits are presented thrice; and the roast meat, where they are presented once.'
是故君子之於禮也，非作而致其情也，此有由始也。是故七介以相見也，不然則已愨。三辭三讓而至，不然則已蹙。故魯人將有事於上帝，必先有事於頖宮；晉人將有事於河，必先有事於惡池；齊人將有事於泰山，必先有事於配林。三月系，七日戒，三日宿，慎之至也。故禮有擯詔，樂有相步，溫之至也。
And so those usages were not devised by superior men in order to give expression to their feelings. There was a beginning of them from (the oldest times); as when (two princes) have an interview, there are seven attendants to wait on them and direct them. Without these the interview would be too plain and dull. They reach (the ancestral temple) after the visitor has thrice declined the welcome of the host, and the host has thrice tried to give precedence to the other. Without these courtesies the interview would be too hurried and abrupt. In the same way, when in Lu they were about to perform the service to God (in the suburb), they felt it necessary first to have a service in the college with its semicircular pool. When they were about in Jin to sacrifice to the He, they would first do so to the pool of Wu. When in Qi they were about to sacrifice to mount Tai, they would do so first in the forest of Pei. Moreover, the keeping the victims (for the altar of Heaven) for three months (in the stable); the abstinence (of the worshippers) for seven days; and the vigil of three days:-all showed the extreme degree of (preparatory) care (for the service). The ritual arrangements, further, of the reception (of guests) and communication between them and the host, and for assisting and guiding the steps of the (blind) musicians, showed the extreme degree of kindly (provision).
禮也者，反本修古，不忘其初者也。故凶事不詔，朝事以樂。醴酒之用，玄酒之尚。割刀之用，鸞刀之貴。莞簟之安，而稿鞂之設。是故，先王之制禮也，必有主也，故可述而多學也。
In ceremonial usages we should go back to the root of them (in the mind), and maintain the old (arrangements of them), not forgetting what they were at first. Hence there is no (need to be) calling attention to the demonstrations expressive of grief; and those which (more particularly) belong to the court are accompanied by music. There is the use of sweet spirits, and the value set on water; there is the use of the (ordinary) knife, and the honour expressed by that furnished with (small) bells; there is the comfort afforded by the rush and fine bamboo mats, and the (special) employment of those which are made of straw. Therefore the ancient kings in their institution of the rules of propriety had a ruling idea, and thus it is that they were capable of being transmitted, and might be learned, however many they were.
君子曰：無節於內者，觀物弗之察矣。欲察物而不由禮，弗之得矣。故作事不以禮，弗之敬矣。出言不以禮，弗之信矣。故曰：「禮也者，物之致也。」
The superior man will say, 'If a man do not have in himself the distinctions (embodied in ceremonies), he will contemplate that embodiment without any intelligent discrimination; if he wish to exercise that discrimination, and not follow the guidance of the rules, he will not succeed in his object. Hence if his practice of ceremonies be not according to the rules, men will not respect them; and if his words be not according to those rules, men will not believe them. Accordingly it is said, "The rules of ceremony are the highest expression of (the truth of) things."'
是故昔先王之制禮也，因其財物而致其義焉爾。故作大事，必順天時，為朝夕必放於日月，為高必因丘陵，為下必因川澤。是故天時雨澤，君子達亹亹焉。是故昔先王尚有德、尊有道、任有能；舉賢而置之，聚眾而誓之。
Hence it was that in old times, when the ancient kings instituted ceremonies, they conveyed their idea by means of the qualities of the articles and observances which they employed. In their great undertakings, they were sure to act in accordance with the seasons; in their doings morning and evening, they imitated the sun and moon; in what required a high situation, they took advantage of mounds and hillocks, and in what required a low situation, of the (banks of the) rivers and lakes. Hence each season has its rains and benefits, and those wise men sought to make use of them with intelligence with all the earnestness they could command. The ancient kings valued (men's) possession of virtue, honoured those who pursued the right course, and employed those who displayed ability. They selected men of talents and virtue, and appointed them. They assembled the whole of them and solemnly addressed them.
是故因天事天，因地事地，因名山升中于天，因吉土以饗帝于郊。升中于天，而鳳凰降、龜龍假；饗帝於郊，而風雨節、寒暑時。是故聖人南面而立，而天下大治。
Then in accordance with (the height of) heaven they did service to Heaven, in accordance with (the lower position of) earth they did service to Earth; taking advantage of the famous hills they ascended them, and announced to Heaven the good government (of the princes). When thus at the felicitous spot (chosen for their capitals) they presented their offerings to God in the suburb and announced to Heaven (the general good government from the famous hills), the phoenix descended, and tortoises and dragons made their appearance. When they presented their offerings to God in the suburb the winds and rains were duly regulated, and the cold and heat came each in its proper time, so that the sage (king) had only to stand with his face to the south, and order prevailed all under the sky.
天道至教，聖人至德。廟堂之上，罍尊在阼，犧尊在西。廟堂之下，縣鼓在西，應鼓在東。君在阼，夫人在房。大明生於東，月生於西，此陰陽之分、夫婦之位也。君西酌犧象，夫人東酌罍尊。禮交動乎上，樂交應乎下，和之至也。
The courses of the heavenly (bodies) supply the most perfect lessons, and the sages possessed the highest degree of virtue. Above, in the hall of the ancestral temple, there was the jar, with clouds and hills represented on it on the east, and that with the victim represented on it on the west. Below the hall the larger drums were suspended on the west, and the smaller drums answering to them on the east. The ruler appeared at the (top of the) steps on the east; his wife was in the apartment on the west. The great luminary makes his appearance in the east; the moon makes her appearance in the west. Such are the different ways in which the processes of darkness and light are distributed in nature, and such are the arrangements for the positions (corresponding thereto) of husband and wife. The ruler fills his cup from the jar with an elephant represented on it; his wife fills hers from that with clouds and hills. With such reciprocation do the ceremonies proceed above, while the music responds in the same way below - there is the perfection of harmony.
禮也者，反其所自生；樂也者，樂其所自成。是故先王之制禮也以節事，修樂以道志。故觀其禮樂，而治亂可知也。蘧伯玉曰：「君子之人達，故觀其器，而知其工之巧；觀其發，而知其人之知。」故曰：「君子慎其所以與人者。」
It is the object of ceremonies to go back to the circumstances from which they sprang, and of music to express pleasure in the results which first gave occasion to it. Thus it was that the ancient kings, in their institution of ceremonies, sought to express their regulation of circumstances, and, in their cultivation of music, to express the aims they had in mind. Hence by an examination of their ceremonies and music, the conditions of order and disorder in which they originated can be known. Qu Bo-Yu said, 'A wise man, by his intelligence, from the sight of any article, knows the skill of the artificer, and from the contemplation of an action knows the wisdom of its performer.' Hence there is the saying, 'The superior man watches over the manner in which he maintains his intercourse with other men.'
太廟之內敬矣！君親牽牲，大夫贊幣而從。君親制祭，夫人薦盎。君親割牲，夫人薦酒。卿、大夫從君，命婦從夫人。洞洞乎其敬也，屬屬乎其忠也，勿勿乎其欲其饗之也。納牲詔於庭，血毛詔於室，羹定詔於堂，三詔皆不同位，蓋道求而未之得也。設祭于堂，為祊乎外，故曰：「於彼乎？於此乎？」
Within the ancestral temple reverence prevailed. The ruler himself led the victim forward, while the Great officers assisted and followed, bearing the offerings of silk. The ruler himself cut out (the liver) for (the preliminary) offering, while his wife bore the dish in which it should be presented. The ruler himself cut up the victim, while his wife presented the spirits. The high ministers and Great officers followed the ruler; their wives followed his wife. How grave and still was their reverence! How were they absorbed in their sincerity! How earnest was their wish that their offerings should be accepted! The arrival of the victim was announced (to the spirits) in the courtyard; on the presentation of the blood and the flesh with the hair on it, announcement was made in the chamber; on the presentation of the soup and boiled meat, in the hall. The announcement was made thrice, each time in a different place; indicating how they were seeking for the spirits, and had not yet found them. When the sacrifice was set forth in the hall, it was repeated next day outside (the gate of the temple); and hence arose the saying, ' Are they there? Are they here?'
一獻質，三獻文，五獻察，七獻神。
One offering of the cup showed the simplicity of the service; three offerings served to ornament it; five, to mark discriminating care; and seven, to show (the reverence for) the spirits.
大饗其王事與！三牲魚臘，四海九州之美味也；籩豆之薦，四時之和氣也。內金，示和也。束帛加璧，尊德也。龜為前列，先知也。金次之，見情也。丹漆絲纊竹箭，與眾共財也。其餘無常貨，各以其國之所有，則致遠物也。其出也，肆夏而送之，蓋重禮也。
Was not the great quinquennial sacrifice a service belonging to the king? The three animal victims, the fish, and flesh, were the richest tributes for the palate from all within the four seas and the nine provinces. The fruits and grain presented in the high dishes of wood and bamboo were the product of the harmonious influences of the four seasons, The tribute of metal showed the harmonious submission (of the princes). The rolls of silk with the round pieces of jade placed on them showed the honour they rendered to virtue. The tortoise was placed in front of all the other offerings, because of its knowledge of the future; the tribute of metal succeeded to it, showing the (hold it has on) human feelings. The vermilion, the varnish, the silk, the floss, the large bamboos and the smaller for arrows - the articles which all the states contribute; with the other uncommon articles, which each state contributed according to its resources, even to those from the remote regions - (these followed the former). When the Visitors left they were escorted with the music of the Si Xia. All these things showed how important was the sacrifice.
祀帝於郊，敬之至也。宗廟之祭，仁之至也。喪禮，忠之至也。備服器，仁之至也。賓客之用幣，義之至也。故君子欲觀仁義之道，禮其本也。
In the sacrifice to God in the suburb, we have the utmost expression of reverence. In the sacrifices of the ancestral temple, we have the utmost expression of humanity. In the rites of mourning, we have the utmost expression of leal-heartedness. In the preparation of the robes and vessels for the dead, we have the utmost expression of affection. In the use of gifts and offerings between host and guest, we have the utmost expression of what is right. Therefore when the superior man would see the ways of humanity and righteousness, he finds them rooted in these ceremonial usages.
君子曰：甘受和，白受采；忠信之人，可以學禮。茍無忠信之人，則禮不虛道。是以得其人之為貴也。
A superior man has said, 'What is sweet may be tempered; what is white may be coloured. So the man who is right in heart and sincere can learn the (meaning of the) rites.' The rites should not be perfunctorily performed by the man who is not right in heart and sincere. Hence it is all important (in the performance of them) to get the proper men.
孔子曰：「誦《詩》三百，不足以一獻。一獻之禮，不足以大饗。大饗之禮，不足以大旅。大旅具矣，不足以饗帝。」毋輕議禮！
Confucius said, 'One may repeat the three hundred odes, and not be fit to offer the sacrifice where there is (but) one offering of the cup. He may offer that sacrifice, and not be fit to join in a great sacrifice. He may join in such a sacrifice, and not be fit to offer a great sacrifice to the hills. He may perform that fully, and yet not be able to join in the sacrifice to God, Let no one lightly discuss the subject of rites.'
子路為季氏宰。季氏祭，逮暗而祭，日不足，繼之以燭。雖有強力之容、肅敬之心，皆倦怠矣。有司跛倚以臨祭，其為不敬大矣。他日祭，子路與，室事交乎戶，堂事交乎階，質明而始行事，晏朝而退。孔子聞之曰：「誰謂由也而不知禮乎？」
When Zi-lu was steward to the House of Ji, its chief had been accustomed to commence his sacrifices before it was light, and when the day was insufficient for them, to continue them by torchlight. All engaged in them, however strong they might appear, and however reverent they might be, were worn out and tired. The officers limped and leaned, wherever they could, in performing their parts, and the want of reverence was great. Afterwards, when Zi-lu took the direction of them, the sacrifices proceeded differently. For the services in the chamber, he had parties communicating outside and inside the door; and for those in the hall, he had parties communicating at the steps. As soon as it was light, the services began, and by the time of the evening audience all were ready to retire. When Confucius heard of this management, he said, 'Who will say that this You does not understand ceremonies?'
Source: Chinese Text Project http://ctext.org/liji. English translation "Sacred Books of the East, volume 28, part 4: The Li Ki", James Legge, 1885
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